Houston Rockets Blog Posts

Fun With Box Scores

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:16:41 EST

In the NBA these days, it seems like there is a stat for everything. We’ve got PER, offensive efficiency ratings, defensive efficiency rating, and so on and so on.

It seems like every team in the league now employs their own stat guru. And while I’m not one to question the use of all these new statistics to evaluate NBA players (I actually kinda like them), I’m old school.

To me, all the new stats in the world can’t tell the story of an NBA game as well as the good, old fashioned box score.

Therefore, I’m starting a new feature today called “Fun With Box Scores”.

Every Monday, I’ll be posting some of the more interesting things that jumped out at me from the previous week’s box scores.

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NBA Opening Night Quick Thoughts

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:09:17 EDT

Happy New Year!

With the new NBA season set to tip off with four games tonight, here are some of the things I’ll be watching for in tonight’s action.

Boston @ Cleveland, 7:30pm

I can’t wait to see LeBron again this season. Last year, coming off the Olympics, you could see that his focus was on improving defensively. Now, without a summer in the spotlight, I’m curious to see if he’s made any improvements to his already unreal game. Is this the year we finally see LeBron use his Karl Malone-like body to beast on people inside?

Also, I’m curious to see what kind of pregame theatrics the Cavs come up with. You know Shaq can’t stand to be out of the spotlight, I wouldn’t be surprised if he tries to one-up LeBron’s chalk thing with something of his own.

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Its official Lakers Ron Artest is a Celine Dion fan

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:31:10 EDT

Celine Dion and Ron Artest go together like cereal and mayonnaise yet somehow the self proclaimed "thug", Artest, makes it work. The guy is known for his wild antics such as going into the crowd and beating up a fan, but it seems that Artest is beginning to display a softer side. As a Laker fan I love that we are bringing a little crazy on our team because a team can always use a little crazy, right? Although he can't carry a tune and the video is clearly irritating you get a sense that he means what he is singing which makes is somewhat enjoyable to watch. I am going to stop talking about it and just let you watch it:

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Overrating Trevor Ariza

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:28:31 EDT

As a Laker fan who is one of Trevor Ariza's biggest supporters and whose friend had him dubbed Trevor "the future" Ariza, it was sad to see him go. He was a key cog in the Lakers' championship wagon and delivered some of the most exciting and timely plays of the season. He is still young and will probably get better.

But let's not get carried away. Trevor was a 9 point, 4 rebound a game guy this past season who was a great wing defender. This is not to diminish what he brought to the Lakers, but rather to put it in it's proper place. Ron Artest put up superior numbers and played a more vital role for the Rockets, but everyone is talking about how Ariza is ther better player. It's silly.

This leads me to my more general point that it is easy to overvalue a player based on one playoff performance and playing on the right team. Ariza benefitted from coming alive at the right time (the playoffs), playing in a huge market (Los Angeles) alongside one of the all-time greats (Kobe Bryant) and for the best coach of all-time (Phil Jackson). His accomplishments shined in the LA spotlight and he was deified for his performance. He had some great moments, no doubt. His late-game steals against Denver in the Western Conference Finals were magical, and his top of the key heave against Orlando in game 5 of the NBA Finals was the most underrated play of the 2009 playoffs.

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Houston summer league

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:45:50 EDT

Second round pick Chase Budinger lit it up!!! He led the team in scoring with 17.8 ppg in the Las Vegas summer league. He shot 68% from the floor and 94% from the line. And, was 8 of 11 from 3 point range. This is great news for a team that may not have McGrady until the halfway point and may not get Yao Ming back at all. If they do get those 2 stars back, things will be different. Until then, the youngsters are going to have to play. They found one that can shoot.

This was not a good year for the Rockets not to have a first round pick. But, they got 3 second round picks. Budinger was 44th overall. Jermaine Taylor was another second round pick. He averaged 11 points, shot below 40%, and had over 2 assist a game. Those are more like a second rounders numbers. Sergio Lull from Spain did not play in summer leage.

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Why Houston Will Stink Next Year

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:43:42 EDT

I think the Houston Rockets are going to stink next year. Here's why: Yao Ming will not be there. I think that's safe to assume. We have no idea if T-Mac is going to be the same player after his microfracture surgery. Ron Artest is gone. That leaves Houston with a core of a questionable T-Mac, Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, and Luis Scola...............sorry Rockets fans, but I dont think they're even a playoff team anymore.

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Top 10 Reasons Kobe and Artest will work out

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:05:02 EDT

10) They were spotted in Kobe's escalade at an 'N and Out drive-through. And yes, they both got "animal style."

9) When on road trips in Denver, Kobe's got Artest covered for booty calls.

8) Kobe's beer preference is bottles - meaning, he'll never pour anything in a plastic cup.

7) Kobe & LeBron's Nike "puppet campaign" is being replaced by "Kobe and Ron," a new puppet ad-series. However, Nike's yielding to "Crank Yankers" for the directing of this one.

6) Like Kobe, Artest is practically another Dobermamba on defense. Only difference is, Artest may bite.

5) As a peace offering, Artest bought fellow teammate and candy-lover, Lamar Odom, a year's supply of Cookies 'n Cream.

4) Finally, Kobe has a legit MC to battle Shaq with.

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Lakers Rockets trade sort of

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:20:00 EDT

If you were to glance at headlines yesterday, you might thing that the Los Angelos Lakers and the Houston Rockets made a trade. What is happening is that they are recruiting the other team's free agent. Ron Artest sent out a text saying he is happy to be a Laker. Meanwhile, Trevor Ariza is saying that he might be a Rocket. So, they are basically swapping small forwards. It is a good move for both teams. The Lakers want to win another championship and to do that, you have to mix things up a bit. Artest makes them better. He can score and defend. Ariza is still developing and getting better, Artest is already there.

I've created a formula that determines how many wins a player contributed statistically to his team. Last year, Artest earned 7 wins while Ariza earned 6. So, the Lakers get a win better, and the Rockets lose a win and a headache.

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In Taking an A for an A Lakers Become NBAs Super Villains

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:26:25 EDT

As we Laker fans begin to ponder Los Angeles' acquisition of Ron Artest at the expense of Trevor Ariza, a sense of dread came over me.

Not that the roster shakeup is necessary a bad one, but that now I'm a full-fledged fan of the NBA Villain.

The Lakers now are the Evil Empire. They're Darth Vader, Lex Luthor, Dr. Evil and Rush Limbaugh rolled into one purple basketball mass -- the team the NBA will love to hate.

Most people outside L.A. and Laker fandom have a considerable dislike for Kobe Bryant. Even with his renaissance this season as a world champion.

The rape allegations. The feud with Shaquille O'Neal, with many people believing an arrogant and selfish Bryant drove O'Neal out of town and coach Phil Jackson into retirement in 2004.

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Houston and Yao

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:22:24 EDT

Yao Ming could miss the entire year and there is a slight possibility he may never play again. This is devastating for the Rockets. They will already be without Tracy McGrady for half the season due to surgery on his knee. Ron Artest and Von Wafer are already free agents. Resigning both is a must if the team wishes to contend again. If they found out that Ming's foot will not recover, the Rockets may think about rebuilding. Trading McGrady would be a start. It may be a deal where they wait and see how the season plays out. If it looks good, they may stick it out. If they are struggling to make playoffs, they could trade McGrady as he gets back on the court. He could go to a team looking to make that playoff push. They had no first round

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